


Bifrons

by Phlyarologist



Category: Final Fantasy VI
Genre: Drabble Sequence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-11
Updated: 2019-03-11
Packaged: 2019-11-15 08:15:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18069812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phlyarologist/pseuds/Phlyarologist
Summary: Before, during, and after.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lirillith](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lirillith/gifts).



“The man’s a gambler,” said Edgar. “We can use that. I know two reasons to leave something to chance: either you don’t care, or you care too much to think clearly. Both are exploitable.”

“Really,” Celes said flatly. “And which camp are you in?”

“Neither, but your curiosity is flattering.”

“Oh, shut up.”

“In fact, here. Tails says I’ll bare my soul right now. Heads, I keep my secrets.”

He flipped a coin. Celes snatched it out of the air.

And studied it. And studied him.

He took it back with a wink. She thought she’d glimpsed his soul anyway.


	2. Chapter 2

_There are moments when everything stops, when time folds up and the world narrows to a point. The coin hangs in the air, the future suspended with it._

_That’s assuming the outcome is in any doubt, which, in this case, it isn’t. But for the sake of argument, a snapshot: Celes looks impassive, Locke amused; Setzer wavers between annoyance that his plan failed and delight at the novelty. Sabin watches, curious, mildly confused, as he has been all day._

_Edgar, though - his smile tightens as the coin hits the deck. It’ll be fine as long as no one says anything._


	3. Chapter 3

Sabin collared Edgar and propelled him into the aft hold. The door slammed. “You lied to me.”

This was it - the dread that had been percolating since Mt. Kolts, finally realized - and instead of anything he’d planned, Edgar heard himself say, “I’m not sorry.”

“You didn’t have to do that to yourself! If I’d known -”

“You wanted to go. I didn’t want you to feel bad about it. We were _kids._ What else could I -”

“It’s not fair.”

No. It wasn’t.

Sabin hugged him so hard his ribs creaked. “Thank you,” he said hoarsely, “you asshole. Next one’s on me.”


	4. Chapter 4

“Please accept my condolences,” said Edgar, straight-faced, “on the failure of your engagement to Mr. Gabbiani. Of course you’ll need space to heal from such a blow, but on the day your heart is yours to bestow again, you’d make me a very happy man if -”

“Knock it off.”

“Worth a try.”

She would’ve said something harsher, but he still looked rattled. And if he hadn’t stepped up, well. They might still have an airship, but she’d have had to use force.

When he thought no one was watching, he ran his thumb compulsively over the rim of the coin.

**Author's Note:**

>  _bifrons, bifrontis._ Latin adjective. Having two countenances; two-faced.
> 
> An epithet for Janus, the Roman god presiding over doorways, associated with duality, beginnings, endings, and transitions.


End file.
